Book club raises €40k for homeless charity thanks to €5k donation from generous Dublin author

An online appeal to raise €5,000 for a homeless charity has seen members of Ireland's biggest book club raise over €40,000 in five weeks.

Last month, the 23,000-member Rick O'Shea Book Club started fundraising for homeless charity, Peter McVerry Trust.

"The concept is simple - just throw us a fiver," said book club founder, Rick O'Shea.

"It's the cost of a cheap second-hand paperback, or two hours parking when you do your Xmas shopping, or coffee for you and a friend if you meet up."

The RTÉ broadcaster said he wanted to use the power of the book club to do some good, "particularly given the unprecedented homelessness crisis we're in the middle of."

We're in the middle of an unparalleled homelessness crisis in this country, so this year I thought we'd try and use the power of my book club to raise funds for one of the charities at the coalface.

Within three deals of the appeal being launched, over two times the target figure had been raised.

On Wednesday last, author Derek Landy, who is best known for the Skulduggery Pleasant series, offered to give €5,000 if the appeal reached €35,000 by the end of the week.

That amount was reached within 12 hours.

The Peter McVerry Trust is "delighted and very grateful" for the support and thanked Mr Landy in particular for his "hugely generous" donation.

"We are absolutely delighted and very grateful that Rick decided to support our work and launch this appeal," said Francis Doherty, Head of Communications for Peter McVerry Trust.

"It has been amazing to see the success of the appeal and heart-warming to see so over 1,500 people make contributions big and small to help raise over €43,000 so far.

We’d like to also give a special word of thanks to Derek Landy for his hugely generous donation of €5,000. That commitment to donate such a large amount has helped spur on the momentum of the appeal and fingers crossed it will now hit €50,000 by New Year’s Eve.

Mr Doherty said that the funds raised would be put into the charity’s housing programme and the renovation of empty homes.

"The reuse of empty buildings is something we are very keen to see happen and the money raised from Rick’s appeal will be going to the repair and renovation works of empty homes.

"If we hit the €50,000 then it could help kit out 10 empty apartments with kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms."

The figure now stands at over €42,000 which was donated by almost 1,700 people.

Mr O'Shea now hopes the group can raise €50,000 for the charity by New Year's Eve - but if momentum continues that could happen by Christmas Eve.

Click here to donate to the appeal.